Seat construction for furniture



Patented Sept. 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT} OFFICE SEAT CONSTRUCTION FOR FURNITURE.

William Westphal, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 19, .1929. Serial No. 372,049.

,5 Claims. '(01. 155-50) This invention relates to seats and particularly to seat-supporting means for both chairs and davenports and the like, and the present application contains improvements on the invention described in my copending application Ser. No. 223,679, filed October 3, 1927, which matured into Patent No. 1,845,535,1ssued Feb. 16, 1932.

An object of the present invention is-to so simplify the seat construction and. supporting means as to render it readily applicable to furniture frame constructions now in common use in the market without requiring any alterations in such constructions to adapt this invention thereto.

Another object of the invention isto provide a simplified seat supporting structure wherein a minimumnumber of parts are employed to secure the desired results. A

A further object is to provide a seat construceasily, quickly and conveniently applied to furniture frames by unskilled or low-priced workmen, thereby eifecting a saving in the cost of manufacture.

A still further object is to provide a novel and sturdy seat construction and supporting means therefor whereby a highly resilient spring edge seat construction may be provided by simple and inexpensive means.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detail description and the appended claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention in a form I at present deem preferable.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a davenport frame having a seat construction and supporting means embodying my invention. Part of the frame is covered with upholstery.

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-section on line 2- 2 of Fig. 1, showing only the furniture frame con struction and my invention associated therewith.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental cross-section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the'relative position of r my invention in the furniture arm construction,

which is covered with upholstery and is provided with a loose cushion.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional view on enlarged scale of a fragment of a seat structure applicable either to a chair or a davenport, illustrative of the invention and showing a fragment of a loose cushion construction thereon.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the davenport frame to which my invention is particularly adapted and to which it is shown applied, comtion and seat supporting means that can be' prises a frame 1 which includes a base or box frame 2, legs 3 upright front arm members 6, transversely extending arm top pieces 7 and a longitudinally extending top frame piece 8.

The upright rear arm members 9 support the end portions of the longitudinalframe piece 8, and the intermediate portion thereof is supported by one or more (in the present instance two) rear uprights or rails 10 which extend from the rear portion of the frame base 1 to the top piece 8.

A seat member or seat proper 15 is suspended on springs mounted above and is also springsupported by springs mounted underneath the seat in a manner presently to be described. 7 Said seat member 15 preferably comprises a frame .having a woven Wire body portion 16 provided. at each side with a relatively large wire 17 which is continued around the ends of said frame where it forms the end wire 18. v

The seat 15 is what is properly calledafioating seat and the wire body portion 16 provides a body supporting surface that is resilientlysupported by a plurality of expansion springs 19 and 20. The springs 19 being spaced along the rear of the seat 15 and connected at one end to the wire l7and at their other end to the top frame piece .8 through the medium of straps or links 21 that are secured to the top frame piece 3 and hang free at the end connected to the spring 19. p

In both forms of the invention shown, the top I frame'piece 8 extends from right to left with respect to the seat, and the straps 21 which connect the tension springs 19 with said top frame piece 8 are adapted to aid in forming a yielding. comfortable back rest for the personoccupying the seat. So far as I am-aware, it is broadly new to provide a yieldably extensible member suspended at its upper end from the back of V the chair or seat which performs the combined functions of aiding in supporting the seat proper and also helping to form a yielding comfortable back rest for the occupant of the seat.

The springs 20 are spaced along and support the ends of the seat 15 and are preferably connected at one end to the end wire 18 and to the arm top pieces 7 through the medium of end straps or links 22 that are preferably angled at their outer ends and secured to the arm top pieces 7. The members 22 are bent as shown in Fig. 3 so that their free ends will be within the a plurality of helical coil springs 25 that are secured to base cross rails 26 that are found in most all davenport frames now on the market.

Flexible stay wires 27 are connected to the base cross rails 26 and to the front helical coil springs 25 so as to prevent undue rebounding of the said springs after depression.

The seat 15 extends below and beyond the bars D and into. the arm spacesA and is provided with the usual covering 31; The. customary loose cushions 32 are supported on the seat 15 and when in use the weight of persons seated on the seat 15 will not depress the same to such an extent thatthe top, of. the cushion 32 and -' the top frame piece; extension springs occupyingsaid space and-connecting said straps and said -seat member; and compression springs mounted on said bottom cr'oss rail adapted to support said seat memberintermediate its ends.

2. In 'an article of furniture including a frame having a top piece and a base cross rail, arms mounted on said frame including a top member and having arm'spaces; bars extending across said arm spaces and adapted to have acovering secured thereto; -a seat member extending into said arm spaces below said bars; extension springs mounted in said arm spaces and connected to said seat member and to the top member of said arms; and compression: springs securedJto said basecross rail adapted to support said seat member. i I

SDELCGS. 3

3. In an article of furniture, including a frame having a base frame, arms extending from opposite ends of said base frame, including top pieces, a top frame piece connecting said arms, a seat member mounted above said base frame; and means for yieldingly supporting said seat member including extensible members connected to said top pieces and top frame piece and to the marginal edge; of said seat member.

4. In an; article of manufacture, including a frame having a top frame piece; arms extending from opposite ends of said top frame piece and including arm top pieces and having arm spaces therein; bars extending across said arm spacesand adapted to have a covering secured thereto; a seat member extending into said arm spaces below said bars; strap members secured to said top frame piece and to said arm top pieces, said strap members secured to said arm top piece extending downwardly into the space formed in said arms; resilient means. connected to said strap members andto said seat member, the resilient means connected to said seat memher and to the strap members secured to said arm top pieces being, within the spaceformed in said arms. I

5,. In an article of furniture, including a frame having a topv frame piece; arms mounted on said frame including a topmember and havingarm spaces; bars extending across said arm spaces and adapted to. have a. covering secured thereto; a seat niemberextending into; said arm spaces belowsaid bars; strap-members secured to said top frame piece and to said arm top members; resilient means connected to said strap members and to said seat member; the resilient means connected to the strap members secured to said arm top members being. within-said. a m

. 7 WILLIAM WESTPHAL. 

